Constitution
Congregational meetings, (with commentary)
9) There shall be the following kinds of Congregational Meeting of the Charity:
- a) Annual Congregational Meetings;
- b) Ordinary Congregational Meetings;
- c) Special Congregational Meetings;
10) Congregational Meetings shall be convened by or on behalf of the Trustees, either:
- a) by giving 14 days' (or, in the case of a Special Congregational Meeting, 21 days') notice in writing sent to the addresses recorded for the Members in the register of Members; or
- b) by giving verbal notice given at each service of public worship held in the LEP on the two Sundays (or, in the case of a Special Congregational meeting, the three Sundays) immediately preceding the date of the Congregational Meeting.
11) An Annual Congregational Meeting must be held within 12 months of the adoption of this Constitution and once in every subsequent calendar year.
12) The business of an Annual Congregational Meeting is to:
- a) receive the report of the Trustees on the Charity's activities since the previous Annual Congregational Meeting;
- b) review the life and witness of the Charity;
- c) elect Trustees from among the Members by processes that are clear and open;
- d) receive the accounts of the Charity for the previous financial year;
- e) appoint an auditor or independent examiner for the Charity; and
- f) consider any other business put before it by the Trustees.
13) An Ordinary Congregational Meeting shall be convened on not less than three occasions in each calendar year in each of the 4 churches.
14) The business of an Ordinary Congregational Meeting is to:
- a) review the life and witness of the LEP and its participating churches;
- b) consider topics relevant to the local and wider witness of the LEP;
- c) receive reports covering all aspects of the life of the LEP;
- d) consider matters brought to it by the Trustees, so as to offer advice or guidance (to which the Trustees must have regard), and to indicate support as required;
- e) help to shape the life, work and vision of the LEP.
15) A Special Congregational Meeting may be called at any time by the Trustees and must be called by them within 21 days after receiving a written request from at least one-tenth of the Members for the time being.
16) In the case of a Special Congregational Meeting the notice of the meeting must include an indication of the business to be transacted.
17) The business of a Special Congregational Meeting shall comprise that referred to in thenotice convening it and no other
18) No business shall be conducted at any Congregational Meeting unless at least one-quarter of the number of Members for the time being (if greater), are present.
19) The chair of the Trustees or (if the chair is unable or unwilling to do so) some other Member elected by those present shall preside at any Congregational Meeting.20) Except as otherwise provided in this Constitution, every issue at a Congregational Meeting shall be determined by a simple majority of votes cast by the Members present and voting.
21) Except for the chair of the meeting, who in the case of an equality of votes has a second or casting vote, every Member present in person at any Congregational Meeting is entitled to one vote on every issue.
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Holy Trinity
Shaw
St Mary’s
Lydiard Tregoze
Toothill
Westlea
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